


It's the Sky that Makes the Ocean Blue

by skund



Category: Marvel 616
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-09-01
Updated: 2010-09-01
Packaged: 2017-10-11 09:54:49
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,847
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/111138
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/skund/pseuds/skund
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Written for [livejournal.com profile] fictionalknight  for her (belated) birthday prompt of Steve/Tony, explosion, with a bonus prompt of defenestration (the act of throwing something out a window). An emergency at the Avengers Tower leads to a revelation, and happy endings are only in story books.</p><p>Set in a 'general comicverse', or probably better described as a bastard canon; sampling themes from Classic 70s Avengers (like Iron Man's identity being secret), but the Marvel Adventures Avengers line-up (because it's the only Avengers I consistently read, lol).</p>
            </blockquote>





	It's the Sky that Makes the Ocean Blue

“Well, that was easy,” It shouldn’t be possible for a man in almost a tonne of armour and electronics to appear laid back, but somehow Iron Man managed. He was reclined in the co-pilot seat of the Quinjet with his feet up on the console. Captain America kept shooting him a glare every time he had to reach around those red metal boots and adjust the environmental controls, but Iron Man never seemed to notice.

“Don’t jinx us, we haven’t made it back to the Tower yet.” Steve replied, but with no malice. It was hard to stay annoyed at Iron Man, even when he _was_ being annoying.

“Oh come on, what can happen to us now? This is one of the safest tubs in the sky. I should know, I- my boss practically built it,” Iron Man replied, not moving from his relaxed sprawl. Steve shook his head, but couldn’t resist a small smile.

“Am I breaking some ancient superstition?” Iron Man asked, amusement seeping through the cold, computerised voice. “You think I should cross my fingers? Throw salt over my shoulder? Or Pepper? I don’t think she’d appreciate that very much.”

“What-?” Steve said, frowning.

“Knock on wood?” Iron Man reached an arm over and rapped on the top of Steve’s head. He was gentle but the edges of the metal gauntlet were sharp and Cap ducked away with the aid of million dollar reflexes. He shot a look at Iron Man, who only looked back at him through the impassive facemask. Surely there was a grin hiding under all that metal.

“You’re in a good mood today. Mr. Stark give you a raise?” Steve chuckled.

The quickfire comeback Steve was expecting wasn’t there, and Iron Man was silent for a full second. “No, he didn’t,” His voice sounded even more awkward than usual through the voice modifier. Then he folded his hands behind his helmet and leaned back in the chair, the picture of nonchalance. “Not that I don’t deserve one.”

Steve snorted. “Sometimes I think Mr. Stark’s ego is contagious.”

The gold mask turned to look at him and Steve elaborated. “You two seem to spend a bit of time together.”

“Not really,” Iron Man replied absently, looking out the cockpit windows.

“Oh, I thought- never mind,” Cap replied, the blatant lie hanging between them. It was no secret that when neither Stark nor Iron Man could be contacted they could usually be traced to Stark’s high security workshop. The Iron Man armour was a sophisticated piece of machinery and no doubt needed lots of attention, but from the familiar and wryly affectionate way Iron Man talked about his billionaire boss Steve suspected more went on down there than routine maintenance. Not that Steve was jealous. This was the modern world and apparently a man could spend his intimate time with almost anyone. But Steve did wonder what Iron Man saw in the flashy billionaire. Well, that wasn’t quite true. There was quite a lot to see in Tony Stark; he was handsome, rich, famous and his genius was almost unparalleled. Steve just wondered what his selfless and brave compatriot saw in Tony, as opposed to someone more… down to Earth. But it was pointless speculation.

Steve’s introspection had caused a lull in the conversation and Iron Man seemed to have lost his prior good spirits. Cap mentally chastised himself; he enjoyed the other man’s presence and regretted spoiling his mood by indulging in washwoman gossip. The Avengers Tower was just appearing on the horizon and Steve started prepping the Quinjet for landing in silence.

Iron Man disappeared as soon as soon as they reached the Tower proper from the hangar bay, but that was not unusual. Jan and Thor didn’t even remark on his absence as they met Steve coming up the hall, Jan bright eyed and scandalised about the news of some social faux pas from a celebrity Steve had never heard of. Thor rested a large hand companionably on his shoulder and Jan’s excitement grabbed at his attention, but Steve still turned to look down the hall that led to Tony’s workshop. It was empty.

\---

Dinner was the hub of the day at Avengers Tower; it was the only time when almost everyone was present, sitting and talking loudly with their teammates, sharing the news of the day. It reminded Steve of the crowded mess tents from during the war, golden under the hanging hurricane lamps and warm with the press of bodies and food. It made Steve smile to see Peter perched on his chair, all elbows and knees, while he watched Mary Jane tease Wolverine, who had relinquished even his usual scowl. Only two people were conspicuously absent most of the time, Tony Stark and Iron Man. At first Steve had felt vaguely guilty that he was living in a man’s house and eating his food without Stark even present, but he’d then seen the irregular hours and even more irregular meals the businessman kept; the man made superheroing look rather casual.

But as much as he liked the small riot that passed for an Avengers dinner, it was later on in the evening that Steve truly enjoyed. Peter, MJ, Luke and Jan were settled in front of the TV, watching something fast paced with lots of explosions. Steve stood in the doorway and watched for a moment, before Peter turned around and called to him.

“Hey Cap, wanna watch some classic cinema?”

Steve eyed the screen dubiously as a young man with long hair ran across a corridor, firing ten bullets out of a revolver. “That’s a classic?”

“Yippie-kai-yay, mother-“ Luke’s yell was cut off by Jan hitting him over the head with a cushion.

“I’ll take your word for it.”

“Awww, c’mon! It’s just getting to the best bit,” Peter begged.

“Actually, I think my program on the wireless is just about to start,” Steve said with a grin. It was a bald faced lie, but such an excuse never failed to make Spider Man’s eye twitch.  
Peter didn’t disappoint. MJ laughed at the face her husband pulled, then the screen lit up with another explosion and the four’s attention was captured. Steve slipped out of the room quietly.  
Ororo was curled in a comfy chair in the library reading a book, with Thor keeping her company. Both turned to look up as Steve as he stopped in the doorway, but he just gave them a small wave and kept moving, not wanting to disturb the intimacy of the scene.

Steve wandered back through the kitchen, but Jarvis snatched up the spare tea towel as soon as he saw him and gave Steve a hard glare. Tony had taken Steve aside ages ago and told him that offering to help with the dishes was an insult to the elderly butler, but it didn’t stop Steve feeling awkward. Steve just nodded at the man while he was busy at the sink, and kept wandering. He found himself in the upper hallway, passing the sleeping quarters. All was quiet and dark in this section of the Tower. There was light spilling under Hank’s doorway, and he could hear the scientist muttering softly to himself. Steve paused outside Iron Man’s room, but all was dark and silent within. But at the end of the corridor Tony’s light was on, and Steve could hear Tony’s smooth voice in conversation. Steve hesitated for a moment in the dark, eyes fixed on that slim strip of light, then turned and headed back towards the light and noise of the common area. He wouldn’t want to interrupt anything… private.

In the end Steve gave up and found himself in a sitting room staring out at the glittering city, the blank sketchbook in his lap glaring up at him.

He awoke with a start.

There was a roar filling the air and the whole building was shivering with the aftershocks. For half a moment he was expecting air raid sirens to fill the air. But their whine was silent, and then the city lights below and the lush surroundings reminded Steve where he was. He was on his feet and out the door in a heartbeat, yelling at the top of his lungs. “Avengers assemble!”  
By the time he made it to the living room most of the Avengers were already there, in various states of preparation. Spider-Man was still pulling on his mask, with a brave-faced MJ standing next to him, clutching her robe. Hawkeye was in his boxes, quiver clung across his chest, and Storm was gathering the stragglers. Thor was standing in the middle of the chaos and looking impervious. Just as Steve strode into the room Jan entered from the other hallway, dragging Hank behind her, who had half a dozen ant farms clutched precariously under one arm.

Peter, Clint and Thor all started talking as soon as they saw him. Steve raised his hands for quiet, and got it instantaneously. “What happened?”

The rabble started up again, but Thor’s voice boomed out over everyone else’s. “A fiery inferno engulfs the lower levels, the cause is not known.”

“Looks like the level just below us in a gonner, maybe the one below that,” Luke added, standing arms crossed.

Steve nodded. “Right. Evacuate, plan delta. We’ll assemble on the roof,” He scanned the room, which was just starting to fill with smoke. “Who’s missing?” For an instant he regretted the Avenger’s open door policy; how on Earth was he supposed to keep track of everyone in an emergency, if he didn’t even know who was here? The team started filing calmly past him out to the roof exit, as Steve did a head-check. Carol, Jan, Hank, Luke, Jessica, Logan, Peter… wait…

“Where’s Stark?”

His question was greeted with blank looks and shakes of the head.

“Iron Man?” Steve barked, trying to keep the tremble out of his voice.

No one knew.

Right.

“Thor, get these people out of here.” He yelled over the crowd. Thor nodded and before Steve could turn around his voice was filling the room, urging people on. They didn’t need to be told twice. Steve left them in capable hands, sprinting down the hallway to the sleeping quarters. He ducked into his own first, grabbing his shield, then charged down the corridor. Iron Man’s door was locked, but didn’t withstand his shield in the slightest; the door splintered dramatically around Steve. But the room beyond was still and dark, the bedsheets not even disturbed and nothing personal laying around. Nothing at all marked the room as inhabited. Steve was briefly puzzled, but this wasn’t the time. He turned his back on the mystery and raced towards Tony’s door.

It was unlocked, but also unoccupied. The bed was a mess and an expensive looking suit was strewn across the floor. Steve clenched his teeth. Where were they? The smoke was beginning to waft visibly here too, and he could hear the first form the roar downstairs. …

_downstairs_. Had they been trapped down there when the explosion went off? Or had Iron Man gone in search of his boss, in all the commotion? If he was down there fighting that fire himself, Steve was going to throttle him. How many times did he have to tell the man that he was in a team, and they could handle things _together_ and… Later. He had to find Iron Man before he could start lecturing him. And Tony.

Another mad race to the elevator that permitted entry into Tony’s workshop. Steve jabbed the button urgently as soon as he reached it, then paused as he caught sight of the sign reading _’In case of fire please do not use lift’_. Steve rolled his eyes. Nothing was ever easy.  
He jammed his shield into the join of the doors and wiggled it to tease them apart. He could see the elevator sitting at the floor below, smoke curdling in the shaft. The fire’s roar increased at the sudden rush of oxygen. Steve eyed the cables before him shrewdly. If he had his gloves he could just slide… but they were all the way back in his room and he had _no time_. Instead he leaped out and grabbed onto the cables, stuck his shield arm between them and turned it, then let go of the cable with his other hand. The friction of the edges of his shield slowed his descent, but the landing was still rough and his shield arm jarred with the impact. But he’d deal with that later. He kicked open the manhole and dropped neatly into the car.

It was uncomfortably warm inside. When he jabbed the doors open he was greeted with a wall of heat, and his hands instructively flew to cover his face.

“Tony!” Steve yelled, and the heat invaded his mouth and removed all the moisture. The roar of the flames ate his yell. Steve staggered forward, out of the elevator. The workshop was almost in ruins, fire raging all around him. The sprinkler system had already failed from the damage to the ceiling, but it had left puddles on the concrete floor. He couldn’t see anything, the smoke and chemicals from burning components making his eyes sting. He wished desperately then for his uniform, not these civilian clothes he was wearing. At least he had his shield. He stepped further into the inferno, calling again for Tony or Iron Man. No reply, so he kept going. Half feeling his way amongst the long workbenches, and half expecting to encounter a crumpled form on the floor with his feet.

A louder cracking noise could be heard above the roar of the fire. Steve wasted a heartbeat trying to place it, then dove right hard as the ceiling above him crumbled in, heavy support beams giving way under the strain.

He was a heartbeat too slow.

_Pressure_ consumed his legs, which then resolved into heat and pain. He called out against it, then sucked in a lung full of smoke and broke down into violent coughing. It hurt. He coughed and gasped and the searing pain in his leg throbbed, but he pushed it all away. He needed to find Iron Man.

Steve braced his hands below him and pushed against the weight pinning him. He strained as hard as he could, feeling his muscles start to ache. The rubble didn’t budge. Steve collapsed, gasping, then tried again. The rubble lifted slightly and Steve had hope and then… the weight disappeared entirely. Steve barely had time to register the change before he felt a large fist twist in the back of his shirt and pick him up like a kitten. He blinked at the sudden change, then almost laughed as he caught sight of firelight dancing off a familiar gold faceplate.

“Are you okay?” The computerised voice was calm, but Steve knew that was just the voice distorter at work. He tried to reply but hit tongue was thick and dry in his mouth, so he resorted to a nod.

“Good. What are you doing down here? Scratch that, we’re leaving anyway,” Iron Man said, striding forwards and still holding Steve in front of him. Steve had wrapped his arm around Iron Man’s own metal limb, giving himself extra support. “You could die down here, you know.”  
“No. Tony,” Steve croaked. He was so glad to have found Iron Man, but Stark was also missing and he’d be a damn poor guest if he didn’t ensure his host’s safety.

Iron Man tilted his head, looking for all the world like an armoured cocker spaniel. “What?”  
“Tony. Where’s Tony?” Steve’s voice was harsh with pain and ash, but he made himself heard.

“What? No, he’s out. Gone. Just like we need to be.”

“No,” Steve panted, and when Iron Man didn’t stop walking swung his shield to bounce it off Iron Man’s armoured head. Why was he being so stubborn? Tony was _his_ boss. “Wasn’t upstairs. Where-” The rest of Steve’s sentence was lost as another large portion of the roof caved in.

“Oh, for God’s sake. _I’m_ Tony,” Iron Man said as soon as the debris stopped falling.

Steve just blinked again, as his brain stumbled. Was the oxygen that low in here? “Wha-“

Iron Man’s free hand came up and lifted the golden visor of the helmet, revealing a rather irritated looking Tony Stark. He glared at Steve for a moment, blue eyes intense, before starting to cough. He slammed the visor down again. “There. I’m Tony. I broke my damn air seal to prove it. So we’re all here. Now do I now have permission to save you from a burning inferno, _Captain_?”

Steve couldn’t reply, his mind was like molasses and the smoke and flames were starting to swim at the edges of his vision. Tony took his silence for consent and took off for the outer wall at a jog. Steve had just enough coherence to notice they were headed straight towards a window, and opened his mouth to call out. But at the same time Tony raised his free gauntlet and let off a pulse burst that shattered the glass into a million falling points of light. Tony turned to fall out the window backwards, letting the shards bounce harmlessly off his armour, and clutched Steve tight to his chest.

There was a moment of utter silence as they fell together, wind starting to rush past them, before the armour’s jet boots thundered to life. Tony pulled them through a gut-wrenching about face and soared up the side of the Tower to the rooftop. Iron Man touched down gently, lowering Steve until his feet touched the ground and released him. Steve’s knees buckled instantly and only strong, metal arms stopped him from hitting the rooftop. Moments later other hands were on him, helping and guiding, voices asking questions and calling advice. Sirens approaching, and the distant buzz of helicopters.

Everyone was safe.

\---

It took two hours to put the fire out, and another hour for the firemen to pack up and leave. They’d cleared the Tower of major structural damage, and the Avengers were allowed to return and start the process of cleaning up.

The EMTs had given up on trying to treat Steve’s smoke inhalation after the third time he’d ripped off the oxygen mask and gone to help. He was still feeling a little weak; there was a tremble in his legs that he just couldn’t stop, but he was damned if he was going to let it show. His teammates gave him nods or sad smiles as he walked through the living areas, but he didn’t stop. There was only one person he wanted to talk to right now. And Steve knew just where he’d be.

Tony was still in his armour, the red and gold stark against the burnt out wreckage of the workshop. Steve walked right up to him, shoes crunching on the debris. Steve had his shield on his back; it was a vanity he should have resisted. Tony turned around as he approached, but Steve didn’t give him a luxury of a greeting.

“What the hell,” Steve snarled, his voice still raw.

Iron Man was silent and still. Steve wished violently he could see the expression on Tony’s face.

“Steve, I-“

“Take it off,” Steve commanded.

Tony was still for a moment more, then raised his hands and pulled the helmet off. His hair was dishevelled and the shadows were deep under his eyes.

“What the hell,” Steve repeated. “I work with you, I _fight_ with you and you _lie_ to me.”

“No, Cap, I…” Tony trailed off, looking weary. “Yes. I’m sorry.”

Steve studied Tony’s face in the broken light of the burnt out room. He’d thought Tony would look like a kid caught with his hand in the cookie jar, but instead the man looked… like he was in mourning.

“You’re sorry,” Steve echoed, voice low.

Tony didn’t reply, just played with the helmet in his armoured hands.

“Why?” Steve asked.

“I-“ Tony stopped to lick his lips, “Well, the whole secret identity thing, of course. Shareholders get a bit funny when they think the CEO flies into life-or-death situations every other Tuesday.”

“No, Tony, I get that,” Steve growled. “Why didn’t you tell the team? You’re meant to trust us,” _Me_, Steve silently added. What kind of leader was he if a teammate could keep such a huge secret right under his nose? What else had he missed? The thought left a cold weight in his stomach.

Tony went to run a hand through his hair, then stopped when he realised he was still wearing his gauntlets. “I was going to, after a while, when the team got settled. But then… I liked the fact that you all liked me without knowing I was Tony Stark.”

“So you deceived them?” Steve snapped. “You can’t play games with people, Tony,” And was Stark through and through, a master manipulator with little regard for other people. Steve felt so foolish to have admired Iron Man. And to have thought that Iron Man and Tony had been… a lot of his suspicions had been turned on their head, but they made even more sense now. The wool had been pulled over his eyes, like he was a simpleton, and Steve resented it.

“No, it wasn’t like that. I really wanted to be the man you all thought I was. I enjoy being that man,” Tony continued, then looked away as his voice dropped to almost a whisper. “And I thought you enjoyed being with him too.”

Steve took a deep breath, but Tony wasn’t even looking at him anymore. Yes, Steve had enjoyed Iron Man’s company, and sought it on many occasions. If Steve had to name his closest confidant in the team he would have chosen Iron Man, but now it was obvious Iron Man couldn’t say the same about him. He studied Tony, taking in the familiar features of his colleague and his benefactor combined.

“I don’t know who you are right now.” Steve said coldly.

Tony did turn to look at him then, and at the broken look in his eyes Steve almost wanted to take back those words.

“I’m sorry, Cap.” Tony said softly.

“So am I.” Steve replied, but he couldn’t bring any malice into it. He turned and walked away from Tony, but he could feel Tony’s eyes on his back as he walked away. The ball of half-formed thoughts and half-remembered dreams that always stirred when Iron Man was close, this… _thing_ that hung between them but was only acknowledged with the briefest of glances, writhed in Steve’s chest. Steve expected it to disappear, like so much morning dew under sunlight. But it remained, and for the life of him Steve couldn’t work out why. He stopped the doorway and looked back at Tony, who was still looking at him with the same, lost expression. Steve waivered in the doorway. Then left.

But he’d be back.


End file.
